Signor of one-fourth to g



(NoModeL) C.H.BALSLEY. INGANDESGENT ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET:

' Patented Dec. 18, 1894.

lli ll l a sllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HAMMOND BALSLEY, OF OONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, AS- SIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO G. W. BRYNER, OF SAME PLACE.

INCANDESCENT-ELECTRlC-LAMP SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,288, dated December 18,1894. Application filed April 20,1894. Serial No. 508,366. (No model.)

i To all whom it may concern:

The object of my invention is to produce improvements in incandescent electric lamp sockets whereby the cost of manufacture is diminished, the facility of wiring the socket in line is increased, the durability of the socket enhanced, and the liability to injury from short circuiting is obviated.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure I is a side elevation of my socket in an approved form. Fig II is an end view of the cap removed. Fig. III is a similar view of the upper part of the base detached. Fig. IV is a longitudinal section of thesocket. Fig. V is a sectional view as if taken on the line 55 of Fig IV, but showing the angle plates 28 abutting against instead of over-lapping the arms 10.

Referring to the figures on the drawings: 1 indicates that part "of my socket which, for the sake of distinction from the cap- 2, I prefer to call the body. The body and cap are preferably made of any suitable non-conductive material, for instance, hard rubber, and

' the former is provided with a transverse septum 3 of the same material, to which, as by screws 4, is secured upon spacing blocks 5 a metallic conducting lamp-clamp 5. One of the screws 4 passes through the septum and secures, on the opposite side thereof, the base 7 of a spring metallic contact plate 8. In suitable proximity to the spring contact plate 8 and substantially parallel thereto, is socured a second spring metallic contact plate 9.

10 indicates one of the arms by which the cap 2 may be secured to the body and which is designed to act as one of the conductors of the electric fluid from the cap to the clamp 5. This arm is preferably bent, as indicated at 11, so that it may be held closely against the side wall of the interior of the body and may form a transverse connection with the contact plate 9 which springs from the "septum.

arm-and contact plate 9in place by a screw 12 which passes from the opposite side through the septum and screwsinto the upturned end of the arm, thereby. holding the arm 10 and the contact plate in place. The head of the screw 12 may be embedded in the non-conductive material of the septum, but its insulation is further insured by the elevation of the clamp 5 upon the spacing blocks 5.

Of a preferable form of make and break mechanism, 13 indicates a key whose metallic shank 14 pierces the wall of the base and the arm 10 through suitable bearing ways and to the inner end of which is secured an ob- The length of this block is long block 15. such as to form a contact with the adjacent spring contact plate when the key is turned in one direction; but its width is much less so that when the key is turned at rightangles to its former position the contact is broken between the spring contact plates.

'16 indicates a second arm shapedlike the arm 10 and secured in a similar manner, as by a screw 17, in contact with a lamp-head clamp-plate 18, having clamping lugs 19 passing through a central aperture 20 in the septum. The lamp clamp, therefore, forms contact with the outside of the lamp; and the lamp head clamp forms contact with the head of the lamp, being adapted thereby to pass current through the filaments of the lamp.

The cap 2 is especially designed to facilitate the wiring of the lamp in line and for insuring its safety against burning out through short circuiting. It is, for that purpose preferably provided with contact bed plates 21 secured, as by screws 22, to the projecting table 23 of the cap. These bed plates are adapted to receive and securely hold strong binding posts 24, beneath the heads of which the bare ends 25 of insulated line wires 26 are held in contact with the bed plates, the line wires passing through a central aperture 27, as usual, in the cap.

28 indicates metallic angle plates that are secured against the cap, as by screws 29. They are insulated by the material of the cap from the binding posts 24, but are, respectively connected each with its appropriate binding post by fuses 30.

By this construction the employment of ICO fuses in the cap is feasible, while at the same time, the line wires may be closely drawn to take up all of the slack and be secured by the binding posts to the cap, without any hinderance from the delicacy of the connection that would result from the direct employment of the fuse material by which connection is made between the angle plates and the binding posts. The fuses are, in practice, first bent and set and do not, therefore, offer any difliculty to the adjustment of the less delicate line wires. The angle plates are located so that when the cap and the base are united they come exactly opposite and preferably fit within the arms 10 and 16. They, therefore, form perfect electrical contact with those arms and are adapted by the operation of the key to pass current from the cap through the conductive parts of the base to the lamp.

The cap maybe conveniently united to the base by passing screws 31 through the shell of the base and screwing them into the arms and the angle plates. The resiliency, however, of those parts is suflicient to form a contact and it is obviousi that the use of screws may be dispensed with. The cap may, of example, be united to the base by properly adjusted screw threads 32 so that when it is screwed down to place the arms and the angle plates will be in contact.

What I claim is- 1. In an electric lamp socket, the combination with the body provided with a transverse septum, a lamp clamp therebelow, a conductive part, as for instance, the arm 10, thereabove, make and break mechanism between the lamp clamp and conductive part, a lamp head connecting part projecting through the septum in electrical connection with the conductive part thereabove, as for instance, the arm 16, a cap adapted to be secured to the body and provided with line wire connections, and conductive plates in electrical connection with the line wire connections and adapted when the cap is secured to the body to be in contact with the conductive parts therein, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric lamp socket, the combination with the body provided with a transverse septum, a lamp clamp therebelow, a conductive part, as for instance, the arm 10, thereabove, make and break mechanism between the lamp clamp and conductive part, a lamp head connecting part projecting through the septum in electrical connection with the conductive part thereabove, as for instance, the arm 16, a cap adapted to be secured to the body and provided with line wire connections and conductive plates adapted when the cap is secured to the body to be in contact with the conductive parts therein and fuses between the conductive plates and line wire connections, respectively, substantially as specified.

3. In an electric lamp socket, the combination with a body and cap, of arms secured to and body and to a lamp head connecting part and lamp clamp, respectively, make and break mechanism operatively connected with one of the arms, conductive parts upon the cap adapted to form contact with the arms when the cap and body are united, line Wires electrically communicating with said conductive parts, and mechanism for securing the cap and body together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES HAMMOND BALSLEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. BRYNER, B. F. PORTER. 

